The Life I Love
by marakamiya
Summary: I guess it's safe enough to be G. It's Post 01 and not yet 02. There's something they need to check out and the trouble starts. TAIORA (what'd you expect?)
1. The Fight

This was one of the first Digimon fanfics I had written. I edited it heavily, of course. But it's an old idea of mine. Post 01 if anyone's curious.

Don't own Digimon and all that goodness.

Note: flashbacks and thoughts italicized.

---

**The Life I Love  
**Chapter 1: The Fight

Sora sat on the branch of a tree as she thought of their mission. Gennai called them back because of a rumor; a rumor they wanted to be careful of. There were stories of a digimon of darkness who turns allies into enemies. So he sent them to find out if the stories were true, before any dangers could arise. Sora was worried because the others were taking the job too easily. She would have, too. That is, if she didn't have that horrible nightmare. The night before, she saw someone killed. Her instinct told her that this wasn't something that could be easily written off as a coincidence. She hoped it wouldn't be one of the young kids, or any of the others, especially Tai. She genuinely cared for Tai too much to lose him. She could even go so far as to reason that she loved him.

"Hey Sora. You're missing all the fun," Tai climbed on the branch and sat next to her. "What's wrong?"

"It's this mission," she explained. "I'm afraid someone's going to get hurt."

"Hey," he boasted. "We can pull this off. Who can be tougher than the Dark Masters?"

"That's my point. We're not going to take this seriously and it's going to get someone killed."

"If it makes you feel any better," Tai said, "I won't goof around." He softly touched her cheek and looked into her eyes and looked into her eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you or anyone else, trust me."

Sora smiled warmly. She knew he was being honest and that honesty is what made her keep her faith with the headstrong boy. She knew that one day he would grow up and learn responsibility. For now, she would bask in Tai's naïve nature.

Below them, they heard someone reciting the dreaded K-I-S-S chant. TK and Kari stood directly below them shouting out the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Tai and Sora jumped down from their perch and pursued their harassers, all four laughing. Tai closed in on Kari and pulled her down with him.

"You're going to get the tickling of a life-time!" Tai shouted in victory.

"NO! Help!" Kari cried out through all-out laughs.

TK lured Sora toward the others in hopes to escape her playful wrath. Before he could run to his brother's sanctuary, TK tripped and collapsed to the ground in a hysterical heap and Sora was immediately on him.

"I'll show you kissing!" Sora giggled diabolically. She pulled TK to her and planted a great, big smooch on his red cheek.

"What do you think you're doing!" Matt shouted and grabbed Sora's arm. Obviously, he wasn't getting the joke.

"We were just playing," Sora explained sternly.

"That was not playing," Matt growled.

"Hey!" Tai shouted as he appeared from the shrubs. "Don't yell at her like that!"

"What? Protecting your girlfriend?" Matt sneered defensively.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Tai snapped in his own defense.

"Yeah right! And Mimi likes Izzy," Matt crossed his arms, grinning sarcastically.

"Mimi likes Izzy!" the Digimon taunted.

"She does not!" Joe shouted!

"Joe likes Mimi!" the Digimon added.

"He does not!" Gomamon said in defense of his partner.

"Gomamon likes Joe!"

"No one likes Joe!" Matt yelled to halt their jeers.

"Thanks a lot," Joe muttered and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, well I've seen you kiss her," Matt smirked, pointing an accusing finger at Tai.

"Dude! You made us!" Tai shrieked.

---

_"The game is spin the bottle and the bottle landed on Sora!" Mimi shouted victoriously. "You know the rules, Tai!"_

_Both Tai and Sora, both blushing madly, stared at the bottle that lay in their presence. That cursed, cursed bottle._

---

"Stupid bottle," Tai grumbled, remembering the incident.

"I feel bad for Sora," Matt smirked. "Having to kiss you and all…"

Tai growled angrily. He reared his hand back and threw a shocking warning slap across the blonde's face. Everyone gasped in surprise. Tai glared at the boy. He knew Matt was trying to urk him. For what reason, he did not know. But now he was picking on both him **and** Sora.

"Uh oh," Joe muttered.

Matt recovered and was now enraged. He returned Tai's warning with a full out punch to the mouth. Tai stumbled backward and held his mouth. The palms of his white gloves were smeared with red blood from his lip. Tai rushed Matt and sent several left hooks into his face, drawing blood and staining his gloves more.

"Joe! Stop them!" Mimi whined, tugging frantically on his arm.

"Hey! You hate fighting so stay out of this!" Joe shouted. Tears welled in Mimi's eyes, but she wasn't about to take it.

"Oh yeah?" she shrieked. She violently grabbed Joe by the shirt collar and administered a fiery glare, leaving Joe with a considerable amount of alarm.

The Digimon tried desperately to calm their partners, but their loyalty to their partners only intensified the rivalries.

Trying to stop Tai and Matt from killing each other only made it worse. The other children were now drawn into their own petty fights. There was a series of one on one fights, the exception being Kari and Sora: the only two Digidestined with enough sense to realize the consequences of their actions. Their Digimon stood beside them in equal distress.

"What do we do, Sora?" Kari whimpered.

"I… I don't know," Sora stuttered. She knew this dangerous. Before they left on their mission, Gennai had warned them not to close their hearts... _Or you will be vulnerable to darkness. _Sora's fearful thoughts were interrupted by her partner's weary voice.

"It's getting cold," Biyomon shivered suddenly.

"And dark," Gatomon added cautiously.

A cold wind blew and an unsettling darkness settled among them. The darkness engulfed the warring group, consuming them completely. The fighting Digimon suddenly digivolved to their Champion forms. There was a presence in the air that was slowly taking form as a strange blotch, its true identity shrouded by its dark form.

"That must be the Digimon of Darkness," Sora growled.

"Let's digivolve!" Gatomom declared.

"Right!" Biyomon followed suit.

They were enveloped by the shining light of the digivices and became Angewomon and Birdramon.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon called.

"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon screeched.

The energies sailed at full force and impacted, but only to be fizzled out.

"**_You're kidding_**!" the Digimon of Darkness roared. Its arm extended and trapped Angewomon and Birdramon in its mysterious substance of a body.

"Angewomon! Birdramon!" Sora and Kari cried.

"I have to get through to Tai," Sora gasped. She knew that if maybe Tai could be freed, then the others would follow. She ran past Mimi trying to strangle Joe to where Tai stood watching Greymon spar against Garurumon.

"Tai! You have to stop this! You're only making it worse! Please stop yelling! Look at me!" Sora shouted desperately.

"Come on, Greymon! Bite his head off!" Tai continued his twisted encouragement.

"Don't give up, Garurumon!" Matt snarled.

Tears flooded Sora's eyes. Now she was totally desperate.

"Please, Tai! I don't want you to get hurt! I love you!"

Tai froze. He slowly turned and looked at her, his anger replaced with a dumb struck expression. Sora smiled happily. She almost had him back. The Digimon of Darkness suddenly made a bone-chilling proclamation.

"**_The Crest of Light must die_**!"

Gennai had explained to them that Kari's light was the only thing that could protect them from darkness and ultimately destroy. If she didn't survive, no one would.

"**_Dark Laser_**!"

"No! Kari!" Sora screamed.

As quickly as the attack was called out, Sora had tackled Kari, and with a bright flash and searing pain, Sora took the deadly blow. Kari picked herself up, unsure of what had just happened. She saw Sora laying a few feet away, completely lifeless.

"NOOO!" she screamed in anguish. She began to glow in the white light of her crest. The dark energy around the kids disappeared, as well as their anger. The creature's darkness weakened and its power declined. The Digimon were free and together, they attacked.

"**Nova Blast! Howling Blaster! Harpoon Torpedo! Needle Spray! Meteor Wing! Electro Shocker! Celestial Arrow! Hand of Fate!**"

In a great flurry of energy, the creature was destroyed, never again to instigate destruction.

---

I leave you with a cliff hanger! OOoooooh. End Chapter 1. Let me know if you want more, 'cause I'm gonna give you more anyway.


	2. The Win

I told you I'd give you more! Thanks for the reviews. Here's Chapta 2. Now need I remind you that I don't own anyone in here?

Note: Again, thoughts are italicized.

---

**The Life I Love  
**Chapter 2: The Win

The Digimon and the children celebrated their victory together, unaware of the consequence of their actions.

"Sora! Please get up!" Biyomon begged.

"Oh no," Tai gasped. He rushed to her and collapsed to his knees at her side. He quickly examined her and carefully lifted her into his arms. She was bleeding heavily and she was cut up when she was thrown to the ground.

"Sora, can you hear me?" he whispered softly as he stroked her pale face.

"Kari…" Sora groaned weakly as she regained consciousness. "Is Kari all right?"

"I'm fine," Kari assured her, "but why did you do that?"

"I had to do something. Your light was the only thing that could defeat the darkness. If you didn't survive… then none of us would have."

"How can I ever thank you?" Kari whimpered.

"You did. You beat the monster," Sora smiled a genuine smile through her pain. "That's all the thanks I need."

"Thank you, Sora. Thank you for saving my sister's life," Tai said. "But is it true that you…" He trailed off.

Sora gave a weak smile. "Of course. You think after everything we've ever been through, I wouldn't have feelings for you?" Tai smiled back, a momentary feeling of joy swept over him. Sora flinched as her heartbeat slowed. "Take care of your sister, Tai. She's the best thing you'll ever have."

"Please don't leave me," Tai begged in a shuddering voice. "Don't die."

"Tai, I…I…" she raised her hand to touch his face, but it fell to her side instead. The others stared in disbelief at Sora lying dead in Tai's arms. Tai held her body closer to him, hugging her tightly. Tears flowed freely from his eyes. He had always thought that he would be the one to die for her. But now he realized that the only other person in the world that mattered to him was gone.

"No. I lost her. Sora," Tai sobbed as he rocked her in his embrace.

The others held their heads low. This was just as much their fault. TK tugged on Matt's shirt to get his attention. Matt shifted his clouded gaze to his brother.

"Will Sora be okay?" TK asked meekly, trying desperately to deny any other possibility. Matt gazed down at him for a silent moment and finally decided to tell him straight out.

"No, TK. She's not."

TK saw in Matt's eyes that Sora was dead and he cried.

"I miss Sora! Why'd she have to die?"

"It was her choice," Matt told him.

Tai gently rested her on the ground. Kari, Gatomon, and Biyomon remained with him at her side. Tai tucked his knees to his chest and cried.

"Tai," Matt called to him quietly. Tai raised his eyes to the boy who was now standing before him. "What have you done?"

"_What?_" Tai's mind shrieked. He could not harness the sudden rage and anger that awoke within him that moment. "I'll **kill** you!" Tai roared, leaping at Matt with murderously. He and Matt rolled around kicking and punching and strangling and swearing. Joe grabbed Tai's arms and pulled him to his feet.

"Let me at him! I'll kill him!" Tai shouted and struggled.

"That's enough, Tai," Joe warned. Matt shot up and grabbed Tai's throat and pulling him to the ground again.

"Joe, stop them," Mimi urged.

"You hate fighting so stay out of it!"

"I'll show you!" Mimi growled angrily.

Izzy and TK started to argue over the ordeal and the Digimon were trying to stop the fighting but weren't helping at all. It seemed very likely that the cycle would begin yet again.

"Don't you have respect? She saved our lives by giving her own," Tai snarled, struggling to gain control of the fight.

"You think I don't know that," Matt replied, fighting back. "She said she loved you, she lied."

Tai sucked in a sharp breath. His rage escalated. Matt did the unthinkable and called Sora a liar: the Sora who had just died for them. They had each other by the throat and tried to squeeze the life out of the other. Kari could not watch this anymore. She couldn't stand to see anyone else hurt. She blew the whistle hanging around her neck as hard as she could. Everyone stopped and stared at her in surprise.

"What's the matter with you!" she screamed. "Don't you see this is how it all started? Fighting over every little thing that happened in the past! Let it go! It's OVER!"

"Kari…" Tai gasped, shocked.

"Sora's dead because of all you! Your anger created that monster! It was your anger that killed her! We shouldn't be fighting!"

The each held their heads low in shame. They almost created another bad situation and it was just plain disrespectful.

"I'm sorry, Joe," Mimi apologized, sincerity evident in her voice. "I don't know what came over me."

"Hey, no problem," Joe shrugged and smiled.

"I'm sorry, too, Izzy," TK said, holding his hands behind his back and his eyes watched his feet.

"And I'm sorry, too," Izzy assured him. TK smiled happily.

"Look Tai, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it," Matt muttered, thoroughly ashamed of himself.

"Don't worry about it, buddy," Tai answered with a kind, yet sad smile. Tai gathered Kari into a loving embrace, relieved that his sister hadn't been harmed in any way. He was grateful that Sora had cared enough for the both of them to save her. Tai's heart sunk once again when he remembered Sora.

"I guess I never realized how much I cared for her," Tai said as he resumed his place at her side, "how important she was to me."

Tai bowed his head sadly. His shoulders heaved as he tried to contain his unyielding cries. It was yet another sad scene as the others watched their heartbroken leader reveal his true sorrow.

"Greetings Digidestined."

"Gennai," Izzy exclaimed. A beam of light rose from the ground and an image of the old man appeared inside.

"I thought I should check up on you and congratulate you," he said proudly. "I heard that you've battled and won. How goes it?"

The kids exchanged quick glances and slowly stepped aside to reveal Tai huddled over Sora while crying softly.

"Hm. I see," Gennai said. "I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't disappointed. You did prevail, though. Come back to my house and I'll send you home."

They released a collective sigh of relief. He took it rather well.

"However," he started again, "you won't be able to take Sora with you to your world. She must remain here."

Tai looked up in shock. "We can't just leave her."

"I'm sorry, Tai, but you have to. When a human dies in this world, they are lost forever."

Tai felt even worse. They had never been warned of this. Now Sora wouldn't even have a grave.

"Take your time," Gennai urged them as he ended the transmission. "Come back when you are ready." And he disappeared. The group remained silent as they let the reality settle into their minds.

"We should go now," Matt spoke quietly.

"No!" Tai ordered.

"What?"

"I don't want to leave her here like this. I don't like it. I want her with us," Tai cried.

"You heard Gennai," Matt said. He placed his hand on Tai's shoulder. "Say goodbye."

Tai stared down at Sora. _Goodbye_? How could he say goodbye to her? They had been inseparable as long as he had known her. She was always there with him: during soccer, in school, and in the Digital World. She would smile at him and his day would suddenly light up. He would mess up and she would be there to administer a quick bop to the head. He had hoped for a future with her. His heart strained to say those words, but they could not come. Instead, tears fell and he sobbed.

"No. Sora, I love you."

Two tears fell at the release of those words and they dropped to her chest. They seeped through her shirt and touched her cold skin. He held his head in his hands, released from the weight as he finally gave his heart to her. His chest began to glow with the bright gold of his crest. One by one, the others glowed brightly: blue, green, gray, purple, yellow, and pink. Finally, Sora's body was enveloped by a deep red glow. Warmth radiated from her, the warmth of life. Her chest began to rise and fall in a breathing pattern and her eyes slowly opened. The lights disappeared.

She looked up to see Tai still crying over her. "Tai," she muttered.

Tai gasped. That voice he knew so well was too real to be in his mind. She was looking at him with those eyes he was so familiar with. She was alive. No one could believe it. It was impossible, but it happened. Sora slowly sat up, still weak. She somehow found the strength to move though her blood had just begun to flow again. Her wounds had disappeared.

Biyomon was overjoyed. Her best friend was alive again. She wrapped her pink wings around her. Sora returned her happy embrace. Tai finally recovered from his shock. A happy smile overshadowed the tears in his eyes.

"Sora!"

"Tai!" Sora exclaimed. She threw her arms around him and he held her tightly. He felt her heartbeat as he held her close to him and it was the most valuable sensation he ever felt.

At his home, Gennai watched them through a viewing orb. Somehow, he knew it would work out for the best.

"Their love is very strong indeed," he said to himself with a proud grin.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Tai whispered to Sora.

"It's okay. I'm here. Don't cry," she reassured him tenderly.

He couldn't help it, though. He held her even tighter as tears streamed down his face. She laughed and fell backwards, pulling Tai down with her. They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. But to lighten the mood even further, TK and Kari began to recite the K-I-S-S chant.

"Agumon, Biyomon," Tai smirked. "Take care of that."

"With pleasure," Agumon beamed.

The chased TK and Kari away while everyone laughed hysterically.

"Hey guys. Check this out," Izzy announced, signaling to Tai and Sora. The two were locked in a deep kiss, lost to the world around them.

"Aw, how romantic," Palmon sighed.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Gomamon gagged.

---

They relaxed under the shade of the trees. Matt sat beneath on tree and played a sweet blues tune on his harmonica while Gabumon napped beside him. Joe, Mimi, Gomamon, and Palmon, exhausted from the excitement, fell asleep in the shade of a large boulder. TK and Izzy played computer games on Izzy's laptop while Kari and the rest of the Digimon napped nearby. And behind another tree, Tai reclined against its trunk holding a sleeping Sora. She slept soundly in his arms with her head rested against his chest.

_No wonder she's so tired_, Tai thought to himself. _Returning from the dead can really take it out of you_.

He gazed at her. He could have said goodbye forever that day, but she was still with him. He never felt happier. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to go on without her. He preferred not to know. He loved her so much and it was great reconciliation that they still had a chance to be happy.

Under the shade of a tree, with the pleasure of her company, great relief in his heart, and the soothing sound of Matt's harmonica, Tai fell asleep while holding the girl he loved near his heart, and dreamed of the life that they would live together, and of the life the he loved.

---

Done. Let me know if I need to go jump off a bridge yet. Later.


End file.
